Editor’s Note: This article is one of a nine-part series on difficult Bible passages titled “What to Say…”
1 Peter 3 is a tricky passage. It’s often been twisted to pressure abused women to stay with their husbands as a sign of submission. But this passage is not meant to subject women to fear or violence. Rather, the passage is supposed to encourage primary loyalty to Christ, not to husbands.
So, what should you say when someone tries to use 1 Peter 3 to suggest that wives should endure abuse to win over husbands?
The Purpose of 1 Peter
The situation of 1 Peter is a crisis—the persecution of the church (1 Pet 4:12). Slander and suffering are major themes in this letter. 1 Peter also teaches that Jesus is in authority over all things. Suffering c...Read more
Editor’s Note: This article is one of a nine-part series on difficult Bible passages titled “What to Say…”
Colossians 3:7-17 is often misinterpreted and weaponized to keep women in submission and bolster sexist teachings in the modern church. Rather than viewing this text as a reframing of unjust social structures like patriarchy and slavery—as Paul intended—many interpret it as endorsing those oppressive systems. Women are told to submit themselves to their husbands, and the sentiment is also mirrored in Ephesians. Yet a closer look at both passages indicates that Paul did not intend to condone existing power disparities, but to reframe flawed earthly systems through a gospel lens.
So, what should we say when someone says wives are to submit to husba...Read more
Summer is over and school is (or is about to be) back in session! For many moms and dads around the US, the end of summer break is something to celebrate. It means a new routine for families and exciting experiences and opportunities for students, especially first-time students.
Sending our kids to school should be a joyous thing. In school, children learn positive lessons about agency, pride, respect, loyalty, creativity, independence, and friendship. But school can also be a place where children learn or experience negative things—like sexism and body shame.
It's important to let go and give kids space to learn and grow, but parents should also make sure they’ve prepared their children to be safe, healthy, and successful at school. All parents—and especially egali...Read more
Several years ago, dark spots began to bloom on the second and fourth knuckles of my hands. They didn’t hurt, but looked like deep bruises, like I’d one-two punched a wall with both fists. My therapist, knowing I was struggling to parent my teen sons, wondered if I would willingly share what happened to my hands, her query suggesting that maybe I’d let my sublimated rage venture too far.
Visits to separate dermatologists turned up nothing: the first did a biopsy which yielded no results; the second diagnosed the spots as “knuckle pads.” My mom, misunderstanding what I’d said about the diagnosis, told people I had contracted a case of “gorilla knuckles.”
Turns out, a bad bout of gorilla knuckles can cause significant shame. I quickly learned...Read more
Editor’s Note: This article is part of a nine-part series on difficult Bible passages titled “What to Say…”
Some people believe that 1 Corinthians 7 means that husbands are entitled to sex and wives have an obligation to supply it. But the text, properly interpreted, doesn't support that argument. In fact, it opposes it. Let's take a look:
Now concerning the matters you wrote about: 'It is good for a man not to touch a woman.' But because of cases of sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. The husband should fulfill his duty to the wife, and likewise the wife to the husband. The wife does not exercise authority over her own body, but the husband, and likewise the husband does not exercise authori...Read more
Recently I wrote an article titled “Egalitarian From the Start: Practical Tips for Engagements and Weddings.” The article covered ideas like going ring shopping together, re-wording some traditional parts of the wedding ceremony, and making newlywed life decisions together. However, I did not address one of the biggest life changes and challenges for many couples: having children.
When it comes to pregnancy and the early stages of parenting, biology works against us. Try as we might, there is no way to equally share the joys and struggles of carrying a child, giving birth, and breastfeeding. When my husband and I were ready to grow our family, I wondered how we would be able to maintain our nontraditional gender roles and split work equally.
As a psychologist, I was familiar...Read more
Folks, it’s the most wonderful time of the year—CBE’s annual writing contest. This contest is designed to give those passionate about biblical gender equality/egalitarian theology/Christian feminism an opportunity to share their stories and insights. We can’t wait to hear from you!
We’ve also got more great prizes this year! Winners:
Get published with us
Win a $20 Amazon gift card
Win copy of Natasha Sistrunk Robinson’s new book with InterVarsity Press: A Sojourner’s Truth
Get a free year-long subscription to CBE’s award-winning Mutuality magazine
Topics:
We want to hear from you on one of these seven topics!
Each broad topic includes a series of bullet point prompts to help you understand the intent o...Read more
During my first semester of seminary, a woman in my Greek class said she could see me as a pastor. Unsolicited, she came right out and just said it. I laughed. As it turns out, though, she was right. But I wouldn’t know that until five semesters later.
I’d enrolled in the required preaching class for all MDiv students. I was terrified of the class and probably would’ve put it off until the very last semester of my degree had the professor teaching it not been about to retire. Incidentally, it’s also a class I wouldn’t have been allowed to take had I chosen to attend a different Baptist seminary.
In the span of about six weeks, I went from being tentative about preaching to downright exuberant. I fell in love with the process of crafting a sermon. I fell in l...Read more
As we all know, Jacob (also called Israel) had twelve sons. You probably also know from the tragic story in Genesis 34 that Jacob had a daughter as well. Her name was Dinah, and she was born to Leah in Genesis 30.
But did you know that Jacob had other daughters?
If you didn’t, you’re in the majority. A first step to learning about the women of the Bible is focusing on the big names—Eve, Sarah, Deborah, Mary, Priscilla, etc. But it’s important to go further. It’s important to notice the numerous other Bible women, the ones who are easier to miss. Jacob’s daughters, like too many Bible women, often go unnamed, are mentioned only in passing, or both.
The Bible tells us twice that Jacob had daughters. After the (presumed) death of Joseph, we read, “...Read more
As egalitarians, we’ve all cringed at certain wedding traditions. There’s the practice of a father “giving away” his daughter—as if daughters are property to be transferred from one man to another. There are the wedding vows in which the bride promises to “submit to and obey” her husband. Then, there’s the announcement of couples as Mr. and Mrs. [insert just the husband’s full name]. These are just to name a few.
Not all tradition is bad; honoring the past can be a beautiful thing. I also have no judgment for any woman who wants her dad to walk her down the aisle or takes her husband's last name. Each of us gets to decide what traditions we do and don’t incorporate in our day. Yet I do think egalitarian couples have a unique...Read more
